Celtic thrash St Johnstone while Defoe injured in Rangers win over Ross County | Football

Celtic made it 30 goals without reply against St Johnstone after sweeping their hosts away in the opening half-hour to win 3-0.

Olivier Ntcham, James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths struck inside 27 minutes as Celtic overran the Perth side to maintain their five-point lead in the Premiership. Celtic now have an aggregate score of 30-0 against Saints in the past nine games.

Neil Lennon lined up with Forrest and Greg Taylor as advanced wing-backs ahead of a back three, with Griffiths partnering Odsonne Édouard up front, and St Johnstone could not cope with the waves of first-half attacks. The champions lost their intensity after the break but Tommy Wright’s side deserve credit for competing after looking like they were headed for a repeat of the 7-0 thrashing at Parkhead on the opening day of the league season.

Rangers’ 2-0 win over Ross County came at a cost after their opening goalscorer, Jermain Defoe, had to be taken off on a stretcher at Ibrox. The striker was given the nod to start despite the top-scorer, Alfredo Morelos, being available after his three-game suspension.

The Light Blues again laboured through a drab opening half but the 37-year-old delivered the spark his side needed when he fired home his 17th goal of the season just before the break. The former West Ham and Tottenham striker also laid on Scott Arfield for the second moments into the second period.

But the Rangers manager, Steve Gerrard – already without James Tavernier, Ryan Jack, Filip Helander and Greg Stewart due to injury – faced a fresh blow after Defoe slumped to the turf with no one near him as he chased a long ball. With Morelos nursing a calf strain of his own, Gerrard will now have to decide whether he goes in search of extra striking cover before Friday’s transfer deadline.